2020-07-26: News Headlines

Fight Back (2020-07-26). NYC rallies to defend Portland. fightbacknews.org New York, NY – Over 40 people gathered in Union Square in New York City, July 24, to stand in solidarity with Portland against the recent targeting of activists there. The action was called in response to viral videos of protesters in Portland being picked up by unmarked vans and brought to undisclosed locations, all just for speaking out against racist violence. | The action was called by the Workers World Party and included speakers from New York Community Action Project, Code Pink, Peoples Power Assemblies, Veterans for Peace, A Call to Action on Puerto Rico, and The Pakistan-USA Freedom Forum. | The speeches…

_____ (2020-07-26). Transparency International Silent On Jailed Transparency Journalist Assange. popularresistance.org Berlin, Germany – On a cool July day, the Berlin neighborhood where Transparency International's global headquarters is situated feels a thousand miles away from London's Belmarsh Prison. But it is not just the pleasant setting a few blocks from the Spree River that makes the influential NGO seem so detached from the maximum security penitentiary's most famous inmate, Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. | Transparency International has been vocal in defending jailed opposition activists in states like Zimbabwe, Russia, and Venezuela.

RT (2020-07-26). Police declare riot in Portland after protesters pull down courthouse fence (VIDEOS). rt.com Law enforcement officers have begun pushing protesters away from Portland's federal courthouse after demonstrators pulled down a fence surrounding the building. | Activists used wire cutters, power saws, and ropes to attack the fence on Saturday night and into the early hours of Sunday morning. Videos show a group of demonstrators rocking the chainlink barrier back and forth, ultimately pulling it down. Projectiles and tear gas flew across the sky, in what one observer described as a scene resembling a battlefield. Several fires were then lit outside the courthouse before police declared a riot and emerged fro…

Mehr News Agency (2020-07-26). Iran to continue peaceful nuclear program: Deputy FM. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 27 (MNA) — Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi said that Iran will continue its peaceful nuclear program in accordance with IAEA regulations.

Mehr News Agency (2020-07-26). US federal agents fire tear gas on peaceful protesters. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 26 (MNA) — US federal troops have used tear gas and flash-bang grenades against Black Lives Matter protesters in Portland, on the 59th consecutive day of unrest in the city.

Fight Back (2020-07-26). Minneapolis protests Trump's repression in Portland. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN – Over 600 people rallied and marched here, July 23, at the "Portland to Minneapolis: Protest Trump's Goons Attacking Our Movement," called by the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar (TCC4J.) | On July 20, Trump announced plans to send the Department of Homeland Security to cities across the U.S. Agents in military fatigues were deployed in Portland, grabbing demonstrators off the street, detaining them in unmarked cars and attacking protesters. Homeland Security agents were also sent to Washington, DC and Seattle. 150 federal agents are headed to Chicago, and there are reports that 2000 mor…

_____ (2020-07-26). Wall Of Vets, Grandparents Support Black Lives Matter Movement. popularresistance.org Portland, Ore. — The protests have drawn people from all walks of life, and on Friday night, veterans from all over showed up downtown to create a "Wall of Vets" to protect protesters. | And they showed up in white shirts to support the Black Lives Matter movement. | "It's something I believe in. The other vets here — this is the first time they've come down; they don't like crowds either; we believe in something; it's time to stand," said Jonathan Fisher, a veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard. | Veterans responded after the Navy veteran, Chris David, seen on video being beaten by federal officers, called for…

_____ (2020-07-26). Popular Movements Can Overcome Authoritarian Policing. popularresistance.org Today is the 60th day of protests since the murder of George Floyd. This weekend, people marched in cities across the country in solidarity with Portland and in opposition to the US becoming a police state. | President Trump sending troops to cities added fuel to the nationwide uprising against racist police violence. Protests have grown not only in Portland but in Seattle, Chicago, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Omaha, Austin, Oakland, San Francisco, New York, and Washington, DC, among other cities. | Trump is not a 'law and order' president, he is a chaos and disorder president.

RT (2020-07-26). Riots are driving Portland's small businesses under, but mainstream media wants to sell you a different story. rt.com After nearly 60 straight nights of violence, business owners in Portland are sick and tired of riots. But as their stores go under, the coastal media treats the rioters to glowing coverage and city authorities do nothing. | Portland is a liberal stronghold, and as 'Black Lives Matter' protests fizzle out around the country, anger remains at boiling point in the Oregonian city. The protests there have not been all banner-waving and slogan-chanting affairs though. Instead, droves of 'Antifa' types have laid siege to the city's Justice Center for almost 2 months, tearing down barricades, lobbing fireworks, settin…

Leon Kunstenaar (2020-07-26). Oakland March In Solidarity With Portland. indybay.org Close to a thousand in Oakland protest for BLM and against hostile Federal occupation of cities.

National Day of Action (2020-07-26). At Solidarity with Portland March, A "Wall of Moms" Ready. indybay.org On July 25, Oakland stood strong with Portland in opposition to Trump's invasion of cities. A recently formed Wall of Moms was ready to take up their place on short notice between police and protesters.

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2020-07-26). Federal Crackdown in Portland Provokes Solidarity Protests Across the Country. commondreams.org "This is my first protest," said a 45-year-old woman who joined the "Wall of Moms" at a Saturday demonstration in Seattle. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-12586851111.jpg

South Front (2020-07-26). Video: NATO 2020: A Coalition of the Unwilling. globalresearch.ca The problem with alliances is that they ultimately either become victims of their own success, or cannot figure out what to do with themselves once the original rationale disappears. The original Cold War-era NATO was a relatively cohesive entity led …

Abdul Rahman (2020-07-26). Iran faces twin challenges of COVID-19 and American sanctions. peoplesdispatch.org The worst hit country in West Asia, Iran has had a tough time coping with the pandemic amid US sanctions. It has resorted to strengthening links with countries such as Russia and China towards this end…

R. A. Jones (2020-07-26). "The Russia Did It" Coverup. The Russian and Chinese Vaccines. globalresearch.ca The sheer magnitude of what is supposed to be news from so-called "prestigious" outlets—whether the New York Times, Washington Post, or even Reuters—or the lack thereof falling short of nothing but pure apolitical blasphemy of Russian conspiracies menacing the United …

Robert J. Burrowes (2020-07-26). The Global Elite's Coup Against Humanity. Fear and "Submissive Obedience" globalresearch.ca Any serious study of the relevant scholarly literature reveals at least four possible paths to "human extinction": nuclear war, the climate catastrophe, the deployment of 5G and biodiversity collapse. | Moreover, as I have documented previously, under cover of a virus …

Arun Gupta (2020-07-26). Questions Swirl Around Portland Police's Coordination With Federal Officers. zcomm.org The Portland police have been cagey about how they work with the feds. Deputy Chief Chris Davis has said Portland police offered "suggestions" to the federal forces and coordinated efforts with them.

_____ (2020-07-26). Anti-China Hysteria Drives Record 2021 US Defense Spending. popularresistance.org Anti-China hysteria has emerged as the central 'threat' designed to justify endless U.S. military spending and adventurism in the Asia-Pacific. | The 2021 Department of Defense spending bill has become contested terrain for a progressive wing of Democrats seeking to curtail endless military spending and a Republican-led bipartisan coalition focused on increasing spending to "stay competitive" with ostensible threats from Russia and China. | On July 21, the House passed its version of the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), with an increase in stipulated defense spending from 2020's $658 bi…

yenisafak (2020-07-26). Civilian killed in Syria's Idlib by regime forces. yenisafak.com At least one civilian was killed in a mortar attack by Assad regime forces in the de-escalation zone in Idlib, northwestern Syria, a civil defense group said Sunday.Two others were also injured in the attacks targeting Ein Laruz village, the White Helmets said.Idlib falls within a de-escalation zone forged under an agreement between Turkey and Russia.The area, lying along Turkey's southern border, has been the subject of multiple cease-fire understandings, which have frequently been violated by the Assad regime and its allies.The influx of displaced civilians has increased its population to about four million in…

yenisafak (2020-07-26). Putin says Russian Navy to get hypersonic nuclear strike weapons. yenisafak.com Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday the Russian Navy would be armed with hypersonic nuclear strike weapons and underwater nuclear drones, which the defence ministry said were in their final phase of testing.Putin, who says he does not want an arms race, has often spoken of a new generation of Russian nuclear weapons that he says are unequalled and can hit almost anywhere in the world. Some Western experts have questioned how advanced they are.The weapons, some of which have yet to be deployed, include the Poseidon underwater nuclear drone, designed to be carried by submarines, and the Tsirkon (Zircon)…

yenisafak (2020-07-26). Russia reports 5,765 new coronavirus cases in past 24 hours. yenisafak.com Russia on Sunday reported 5,765 new coronavirus cases and 77 more deaths, a steep decline from the 146 deaths reported a day earlier.The nationwide tally of infections has risen to 812,485, Russia's coronavirus crisis response centre said. The COVID-19 death toll now stands at 13,269 and 600,250 people have recovered.

sputniknews (2020-07-26). US Reportedly Ramping Up Pressure on European Contractors to Stop Nord Stream 2. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The United States has stepped up pressure on European contractors in order to make them abandon the Russian-led Nord Stream 2 pipeline project, Die Welt reported, citing informed sources.

Commonwealth Club (2020-07-26). Friday 8/7: The Battle for Portland & the Implications Nationwide. indybay.org Online via livestream…

Rise Up Now (2020-07-26). J25 Stand with Portland March, Quanah Parker Brightman Address. indybay.org video by Micky Souza, Pro Bono Photo. Please give credit. | 2 min 23 second video…

Rise Up Now (2020-07-26). J25 Stand with Portland March, Call and Response. indybay.org One min 15 second video by Micky Souza, Pro Bono Photo. | Please give credit.

RT (2020-07-25). Black Trump supporter allegedly STABBED by 'Antifa dude' during Portland protest (VIDEO). rt.com A black Trump supporter was reportedly attacked and stabbed by a protester amid increasingly violent demonstrations in Portland that have rocked the Oregon city for weeks. Police have made an arrest in connection to the incident. | Drew Duncomb, a Trump supporter and anti-Antifa activist, said that he had been stabbed while walking around downtown Portland in the early hours of Saturday. In a brief video message that he made while being transported to the hospital in an ambulance, Duncomb claimed that he had been attacked by an "Antifa dude" who had been "following me around for a while." | I got stabbed in P…

_____ (2020-07-25). Homeland Security Claims Shields And Gas Masks Are Weapons. popularresistance.org Far from restoring order, the arrival of federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Border Patrol in Portland, Oregon has only heightened tensions, with agents attacking and arresting protesters nightly. DHS' Acting Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli took to social media yesterday to share images of items confiscated from demonstrators. | "Here is a shield and a couple of gas masks from a rioter arrested in Portland. Not a sign with a slogan that someone expressing their first amendment rights might carry, but preparations for violence. Peaceful protester? I don't think so," he wrote.

_____ (2020-07-25). Protesters Use 'Midnight Yoga' To Cope With Police Violence. popularresistance.org Saturday night marked another session of "Midnight Yoga" on Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington D.C. | The protesters, who have been out in the streets over 50 days after being initially sparked by the failure to arrest the officers who had murdered George Floyd and Breonna Taylor (still), have turned to the peace that yoga provides to manage their pain, both physical and emotional. | Around the same time federal police were turning Portland into a war zone while violently beating and pepper-spraying citizens, D.C. protesters were stretching out their limbs after giving a touching 100 candle-light tribute to l…

RT (2020-07-25). Strobe lights, electric saws & glass bottles: Portland protesters expand weapons arsenal in ongoing clashes with police (VIDEOS). rt.com Demonstrators in downtown Portland are using a range of weapons in their nightly skirmishes with law enforcement officers, and their growing arsenal now includes everything from leaf blowers to lasers. | Ropes and electric saws: | Protesters tried out some new tactics during the latest fracas. Footage shows a group of helmeted, masked activists using an electric saw to break apart the fence used to protect the city's besieged federal courthouse. The operation appeared to be well-coordinated, with several demonstrators using shields to protect the individual using the saw. | Portland rioters are using e…

RT (2020-07-25). UN human rights office condemns 'arbitrary arrests & unnecessary use of force' amid US police brutality protests. rt.com The United Nations has denounced heavy-handed police tactics used against demonstrators in Portland and other US cities during ongoing protests, taking aim at what it called baseless arrests and unnecessary violence by officers. | "Peaceful demonstrations that have been taking place in cities in the US, such as Portland, really must be able to continue without those participating in them… risking arbitrary arrest or detention, being subject to unnecessary, disproportionate or discriminatory use of force, or suffering other violations of their rights," Liz Throssell, spokesperson for the UN's Office of the Hi…

Unicorn Riot (2020-07-25). Massive Crowd Outside Aurora PD in Solidarity with Elijah McClain & Portland. unicornriot.ninja Aurora, CO — This evening over a thousand protesters demonstrated outside the Aurora Police Department (APD) to continue calling for justice for Elijah McClain, as well as, to show solidarity with Portland. | Unicorn Riot is covering the event, which you can check out below. | Aurora…

John Feffer (2020-07-25). Trump's Use of Federal Paramilitaries Is a Classic Tactic of Autocrats to Test How Far They Can Push Their Authority. commondreams.org A federal officer tells the crowd to move while dispersing a protest in front of the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse on July 21, 2020 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo: Nathan Howard/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/feds.jpg

ACLU (2020-07-25). The Portland Police Attack: ACLU Files Lawsuit. Sues Trump and City of Portland. globalresearch.ca PORTLAND, Ore. — Multiple volunteer street medics are suing the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Marshals Service, and the City of Portland for targeting and attacking them at Portland protests against police brutality. The lawsuit was filed in federal court …

Amy Goodman & Denis Moynihan (2020-07-25). US Cities Need Masks and Tests, Mr. President, Not Shock Troops. commondreams.org Federal officers prepare to disperse the crowd of protestors outside the Multnomah County Justice Center on July 17, 2020 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo: Mason Trinca/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/portland_protest_0.jpg

Juan Cole (2020-07-25). First the National Security State Surged Baghdad, Now It Is Surging Portland and Seattle. commondreams.org Federal officers walk through tear gas while dispersing a crowd of about a thousand people during a protest on July 21, 2020 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo: Nathan Howard/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/dhs_agents.jpg

WSWS (2020-07-25). Illinois Democrats embrace Trump's law enforcement "surge" wsws.org Illinois Democratic lawmakers have made public statements aimed at assuaging public fears that the federal forces will crack down on anti-police violence protesters in Chicago, just as they have in Portland.

Joyce Chediac (2020-07-25). Trump's federal repression election ploy spurs greater resistance. liberationnews.org Far from being intimidated, Portland residents were outraged when unannounced paramilitary units started grabbing protesters off the street.

Eds. (2020-07-25). Trump orders federal police to more cities. mronline.org The Trump administration is stepping up its unconstitutional moves toward dictatorial rule, tear gassing antipolice violence protesters in Portland, Oregon and announcing the deployment of federal police to three more cities—Detroit, Cleveland and Milwaukee—in addition to Chicago and Albuquerque, New Mexico.

_____ (2020-07-25). Federal Agents Use Tear Gas To Clear Portland Protest. popularresistance.org Thousands of protesters gathered outside the federal courthouse in Portland, Oregon, into the early hours of Saturday shooting fireworks at the building as plumes of tear gas, dispensed by U.S. agents, lingered above. | The demonstration went on for hours until federal agents entered the crowd around 2: 30 a.m. and marched in a line down the street, clearing remaining protesters with tear gas at close range. They also extinguished a large fire in the street outside the courthouse. | The Federal Protective Service had declared the gathering as "an unlawful assembly" and cited that officers had been injured.

_____ (2020-07-25). Judge Rejects Oregon's Motion For A Restraining Order Against Federal Police. popularresistance.org A federal judge on Friday afternoon denied a request by Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum to issue a temporary restraining order against federal officers making arrests of Portland protesters without probable cause. | In his ruling, U.S. District Judge Michael W. Mosman said Rosenblum had failed to provide sufficient evidence that such arrests were occurring widely in the streets of Portland or were part of a federal policy. (Disclosure: Rosenblum is married to the co-owner of WW's parent company.) | He ruled that because the state of Oregon couldn't establish a pattern or policy, it lacked the legal standi…

RT (2020-07-25). Human 'Wall of Vets' joins 'moms' & 'dads' to shield Portland protesters from police (VIDEO). rt.com A group of former US service members has deployed to Portland to support demonstrators laying siege to the city's federal courthouse. The new 'wall' has emerged after self-described moms and dads formed their own human shields. | The cadre of military veterans assembled in front of the courthouse on Friday night, creating a line between protesters and a protective fence wrapped around the building. Some of the vets stood with their hands placed behind their backs, while others held signs that read "Disabled veterans 4 BLM" and "Federal troops defend property but this does not give them the right to take away m…

yenisafak (2020-07-25). Thousands protest against Kremlin in Russian far east for third weekend. yenisafak.com Thousands of people marched in the Russian far eastern city of Khabarovsk on Saturday for the third weekend in a row, protesting at President Vladimir Putin's handling of a regional political crisis that has sparked demonstrations.Residents of Khabarovsk, around 3,800 miles (6,110 km) and seven time zones east of Moscow, are unhappy about the July 9 detention of the wider region's popular regional governor, Sergei Furgal, who was arrested on murder charges he denies.His detention, which his supporters say was politically motivated, has triggered more than two weeks of street protests, creating a headache for the…

The Canary (2020-07-25). Portland protests continue after judge rejects bid to restrict federal agents. thecanary.co Thousands of people joined another night of Black Lives Matter protests on the streets of Portland, hours after a US judge denied the state of Oregon's request to restrict federal police in the city.Demonstrators, most wearing masks and many donning helmets, stood near the fountain on Salmon Street Springs. They then marched to the Hatfield Federal Courthouse and the federal agents there.They chanted and clapped along to the sound of thunderous drums, pausing to listen to speakers. Various organised groups took part, including Healthcare Workers Protest, Teachers against Tyrants, Lawyers for Black Lives and the '

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2020-07-25). Massive Protests in Portland Continue After Judge Denies State Request for Restraining Order Against Federal Agencies. commondreams.org "If the state of Oregon does not have standing to prevent this unconstitutional conduct by unidentified federal agents running roughshod over her citizens, who does?" | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-12277751121.jpg

Aaron Maté (2020-07-25). UK 'Russia report' fear-mongers about meddling yet finds no evidence. thegrayzone.com A long-awaited UK report finds no evidence of Russian meddling, but that hasn't stopped the fear-mongering. The report claims the…

RT (2020-07-25). Wishful thinking? Russia will NOT see a second wave of coronavirus, says Ministry of Health. rt.com While the world fears a second wave of Covid-19, Russia does not expect a significant increase in the number of infections in the autumn, according to the Ministry of Health's chief infectious disease specialist. | Vladimir Chulanov explained that the ministry does not "expect a significant rise," but warned that conditions will be created for the spread of airborne infections when students return to schools and universities, and when workers go back into the office after months of working from home. | "It's more accurate to speak not about a second wave, but about a possible rise in infections during the peri…

RT (2020-07-25). Patriarch Kirill gives senior nun his 'blessing' to sell off her luxury $135,000 Mercedes-Benz. rt.com The head of the Russian Orthodox Church has ordered a prominent prioress to part with her black Mercedes-Benz, reminding clerics that they should refrain from driving luxurious cars and instead use donations for charitable work. | Patriarch Kirill has "blessed" Mother Superior Feofaniya, the head of the Pokrovsky Monastery in Moscow, to sell off the S-Class Mercedes that she owns, Vladimir Legoyda, the Church's spokesman, wrote on Telegram. | Money that is donated to the monastery must only be used for social and charitable activities, Patriarch Kirill clarified, according to the spokesman. | Legoyda noted tha…

RT (2020-07-25). Patriarch Kirill gives top prioress his 'blessing' to sell off her posh Mercedes-Benz. rt.com The head of the Russian Orthodox Church has ordered a prominent prioress to part with her black Mercedes-Benz, reminding clerics that they should refrain from driving luxurious cars and instead use donations for charitable work. | Patriarch Kirill has "blessed" Mother Superior Feofaniya, the head of the Pokrovsky Monastery in Moscow, to sell off the S-Class Mercedes that she owns, Vladimir Legoyda, the Church's spokesman, wrote on Telegram. | Money that is donated to the monastery must only be used for social and charitable activities, Patriarch Kirill clarified, according to the spokesman. | Legoyda noted tha…

RT (2020-07-25). 'Pathetic': Tory MP Lord Balfe slams Russia Report, says Brexit was down to 'basic xenophobia' of voters. rt.com The controversial 'Russia Report', which accused Moscow of meddling in Britain's Brexit referendum and last year's general election, is just "pathetic," Conservative peer Lord Balfe MP has told RT. | Speaking to RT's Going Underground on Saturday, Lord Balfe told host Afshin Rattansi that accusations the Kremlin was controlling domestic affairs in Britain were "rather pathetic, frankly," and noted it wasn't unusual for some members of Parliament to have business connections to Russia. | "Full marks for the Russian government" if they were somehow behind Brexit, he joked. "I don't think it had much to do with a…

RT (2020-07-25). US plans to build nuclear reactors for the MOON & MARS to host 'sustainable human presence'. rt.com The US is planning to construct nuclear reactors for use on the Moon and on Mars that would allow humans to inhabit them for long periods of time — and it's asking for help from the private sector to do it.